Total pages in book: 38
Estimated words: 36551 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 183(@200wpm)___ 146(@250wpm)___ 122(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 36551 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 183(@200wpm)___ 146(@250wpm)___ 122(@300wpm)
I relax a bit and nod. “I planted some stuff in our flowerbeds. If you would have called, I could have asked you if I got the right stuff.”
His jaw muscle tightens and then his intense stare bores into me. “I’m sure you did just fine. You’re a smart girl.”
Rather than preening at his words, I hold up a finger to indicate he should wait a second, and hurry over to my bag to grab my phone. After I find the picture of my flowerbed, I turn to show him. He’s staring at me with an unreadable expression that makes my blood feel as though it’s on fire. Like he can see straight into my soul or my brain. Like he knows I’ve been fantasizing about spending more time with him.
“Here,” I say, voice breathy. “It was a lot of work, but it was fun.”
He steps closer but doesn’t take the phone. Instead, he stands beside me and looks at the photo on my screen. This close, I can smell his shampoo and cologne. It’s really nice. His arm brushes mine and I shiver despite the warmth in this building.
As he gives me a few pointers to help make my flowerbed successful, I get lost in the sound of his voice without hearing his words.
“Next time, wear sunscreen,” he says, jerking me from my daydreaming.
I look up at him and frown. “What?”
He lifts a hand like he might touch my nose, an almost dazed smile on his face, but then he quickly jerks it back before stepping away from me. “You got a little sunburned.”
“It’ll tan soon,” I assure him. “Are you okay? You seem…frustrated.”
His eyes fall to my lips again. “I—”
Whatever he was going to say is cut off by students entering the greenhouse. He stiffly walks back over to the bin, keeping his back to me. Disappointed, I take my seat at the table and try not to glare daggers at the kids who interrupted our charged exchange.
There’s always Greenhouse Club.
No one to interrupt us then.
I’m tired after a full day of school, stressing about assignments, but breathe easier the second I step outside to head for the campus greenhouse. All the students have gone home, so it’s empty when I walk in. Theo is nowhere to be found, but he assured me we were still meeting this afternoon.
Just the two of us.
As I wait, I think about fifth hour when Mrs. Petra sent me to the office. They took one look at my skirt and made me change into my jeans. To be fair, I lasted a lot longer than I thought I would. But now that school is over, I’ve changed back into it. Especially since Theo seemed to appreciate it this morning.
I deposit all my stuff on my table and then perch on his stool at the front of the classroom. My skirt rides up a bit, but I don’t fix it. It feels dangerous and messed up, especially considering the horrible things I went through with my last teacher, but I can’t seem to stop myself.
Theo is the most enjoyable and interesting thing in my life right now.
God, you’re so pathetic, Addison.
My breath catches, as if I’m caught being bad, when Theo strides into the greenhouse. His attention, though, is on his phone as he texts someone. A girlfriend? Of course, a man like him would have a woman or even a wife. Shame courses through me. What am I even doing?
He comes to a halt just a few feet away from me. His eyes jerk from his phone to my hands clasped around the front of my knees. Then, he meets my gaze.
For several seconds that may as well be an eternity, he stares into the depths of my soul. I wonder what he sees inside me. A lost, unhappy girl who recently lost everything? A slightly desperate young adult who hangs on her teacher’s every word because her friends have all abandoned her?
I bite on my bottom lip, a nervous habit I can’t seem to quit around him.
“You’re in my seat,” he says, a slight smirk on his face.
Without missing a beat, I sass back. “I’m your favorite student.”
A challenge.
He pockets his phone, no longer interested in it, and grins at me. My stomach flutters and I can’t help but smile back at him. Every encounter with him is…charged.
Electric.
Fiery.
Powerful.
Dangerous.
Allowing this attraction I have toward him to continue means I’m willingly playing a game I’ve already lost once at. Am I ready to lose again? Falling for your teacher isn’t really a winning game.
Someone always fails in the end.
“Right now,” he murmurs, voice playful, “you’re my only student.”
I lean a little closer to him, loving how his attention falls to my mouth again. “Still your favorite.”
His phone rings and it disrupts what’s most definitely a highly inappropriate moment. Disappointment churns in my gut as he steps away to pluck it back out of his pocket. He frowns, shakes his head, and then tosses it on his desk.